Pennisetum clandestinum (kikuyu) is a rhizomatous or stoloniferous perennial that can form large colonies up to 2m tall. The inflorescences are hidden amongst the leaves, though, when in flower, kikuyu lawns may seem covered in spider threads of protruding filaments. Flowers in summer and apparently does not set seed in Australia. A lawn grass, naturalised in swamps and wetlands in the wetter south-west from Dandaragan to Albany. Native to East Africa. P. glaucum (pearl millet) is an annual to 2m tall. The inflorescence is erect, dense, hairy, cylindrical, brown or purple, to 40cm long, produced in summer. Naturalised in disturbed sites in Perth area. Native to tropical America, Africa and India.
Pennisetum
clandestinum
, RR
P. macrourum (African feather grass) PP is a large, tufted, rhizomatous perennial to 2m tall. The inflorescence is a dense, bristly, pale green, spike-like cylindrical panicle to 30cm long, produced in summer. It is found occasionally in disturbed wetlands between Perth and Albany (although it is common at Lesmurdie Falls). Native to South Africa P. pedicellatum is a tufted annual to 1m tall. The dense, hairy, cylindrical, pale purple inflorescence is held just above the leaves and produced in winter. Naturalised in disturbed areasthroughout the Kimberley. Native to tropical America and Africa. P. polystachion (mission grass) is very similar to P. pedicillatum but is a perennial to 3m tall, with pale yellow to brown flower heads held well above the leaves. Flowers in winter. Found in disturbed areas near Kununurra, and is potentially a very serious weed. Native to tropical Africa.
P. macrourum
, PH
P. purpureum (elephant grass) is a robust rhizomatous perennial,
forming large clumps,
1-4m tall. The inflorescence is a cylindrical, spike-like
panicle of purple flowers, moderately dense, plumose, erect
or pendulous. Flowers in spring and summer. It is a serious
weed dominating creeklines in the Darling Scarp near Perth.
Native to East Africa.
P. purpureum , PH
P. setaceum (fountain grass) is a densely tufted, tussocky perennial to 1 m tall. The inflorescence is a moderately dense, erect or pendulous, spike-like, plumose, cylindrical purple panicle. Flowers in spring and summer. Widespread along roadsides and rail lines, from Geraldton to York and invading adjoining bushland in the Perth area. Native to East Africa.
P. setaceum , RC
P. villosum (feathertop) is a densely-tufted, rhizomatous perennial to 70cm tall. The inflorescence is a soft, moderately dense, cylindrical to ovoid panicle covered in shining white plumose bristles. Flowers in spring and summer. An infrequent weed of road and rail verges from Geraldton to Bridgetown. Native to North Africa and the Middle East.
P.
villosum
, PH
Pentaschistis
airoides
(false hair grass) is a delicate annual to 15cm tall. The
inflorescence is an open panicle of pedicellate spikelets.
Flowers in spring. Very common and widespread weed of
granite rocks, woodlands, shrublands and disturbed sites
from Carnarvon to Kalgoorlie and Balladonia. (This plant is
often confused with Aira
sp.) P. pallida is a rare weed of disturbed areas on the Swan Coastal Plain,
flowering in spring. It is similar to P. airoides
but has a dense, rather than open panicle.
P. thunbergii (pussy tail) is a tufted perennial to 30cm tall.
The inflorescence is golden-brown, dense and ovate. Flowers
in spring. It is a rare weed of disturbed areas on the Swan
Coastal Plain. All native to South Africa.
Periballia
minuta
(small hair grass) is a slender annual to 20cm tall. The
inflorescence is an open, awnless, broadly ovoid panicle to
7cm long. Flowers in spring. It is a rarely-recorded weed of
disturbed sites and wandoo woodlands from Geraldton to
Narrogin. Native to the Mediterranean. It is sometimes
placed in the genus Molineriella.
Pentaschistis
airoides
, PH
Phalaris
(canary
grasses) are tufted or rhizomatous annuals or perennials,
six species are naturalised in Western
Australia. P.
angusta
is a tufted annual to 1.5m tall. The inflorescence is a
dense cylindrical panicle of tightly-packed, overlapping
spikelets, 3-17cm long. Flowers in summer. A pasture grass,
it occurs in pastures, drains and disturbed sites around
Perth. Native to South America.
P.
aquatica
(phalaris) is an erect tufted perennial to 1.5m tall. The
inflorescence a dense, pale green, cylindrical panicle,
5-15cm long. Flowers in spring and summer. A pasture grass,
it occurs in pastures, drains, verges and disturbed sites
from Moora to Narembeen, Albany and Manjimup. Native to the
Mediterranean.
P.
aquatica
, PH
P.
arundinacea
(reed canary grass) is a tufted, rhizomatous perennial to 2m
tall. The inflorescence is a dense, pale green, cylindrical
or branched panicle, 5-15cm long. Flowers in spring. A
pasture grass, it occurs in pastures, drains, verges, and
disturbed sites from Perth to Albany. Native to Europe,
temperate Asia, Africa and North America.
P. canariensis (canary grass) is a tufted annual, to 1.3m tall.
The inflorescence is an erect, dense, whitish, spike-like
panicle, 2-7cm long. Flowers in spring. Widely cultivated
for bird seed and occasionally established in cereal crops
and on disturbed sites and road verges from Geraldton to
Manjimup and inland to Merredin. Native to the
Mediterranean.
P. canariensis , PH
P. minor (lesser canary grass) is similar to P. canariensis, but smaller. The panicle is pale green, dense, cylindric, 2-6cm long. Flowers in spring and summer. Grown for seed; a weed of off-shore islands, disturbed wetlands and road verges from Geraldton to Esperance. Native to the Mediterranean and western Europe.
P.
minor
, RR
P. paradoxa (paradoxical canary grass, paradoxa grass) is a tufted, erect annual to 90cm tall. The inflorescence is dense, obovoid-ovoid, 2-9cm long. Flowers in spring. A pasture grass, it occurs in pastures, drains, road verges and disturbed sites from Perth to Gnowangerup. Native to the Mediterranean and south-west Europe.
P. paradoxa , PH
